WASTING NO TIME: FLORIDA'S HISTORY OF SUCCESSFUL RECYCLING FOR TRANSPORTATION

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has instituted numerous programs over the years to use available and appropriate recycled materials. The oldest such program, in place since the late 1970s, specifies the use of reclaimed asphalt pavement. Basic research on the applicability of recycled materials is initiated at the department's State Materials Office in Gainesville, where many recycled products are also evaluated. In developing its programs for the use of recycled materials and waste products, FDOT has considered one of the definitions of waste: "to fail to take advantage of or use for profit; lose; waste an opportunity." The department's policy is to drastically reduce the amount of discarded material through innovation and careful research. By thoroughly studying and reevaluating each transportation construction element, the State Materials Office seeks to eliminate material that is not suitable for operations. This article looks specifically at FDOT's recycled plastic components, use of recycled motor oil, reclaimed asphalt pavement, and use of ground rubber in asphalt. In conclusion, it is pointed out that Florida's successful programs have been the result of careful performance-based evaluations of materials that were not historically considered engineering materials, turning what was once considered waste into a resource and a valued commodity.